In the Baltic States, climate change mitigation has been recognised as an important issue on a national level and the first set of measures have been adopted. However, the portfolio of adaptation measures in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania is much more limited. Addressing climate change adaptation is necessary, not only in order to be consistent with EU targets and visions, but in particular in view of the fact that some regions of the Baltic States are already experiencing first changes in the natural environment. Within the coastal zones, for instance, climate-related changes such as an acceleration of the rise of sea levels, a further rise in sea surface temperature and more extreme weather events can be expected to have a range of impacts. This background paper introduces adaptation as a policy issue and outlines developments at EU level. Followed by these general chapters, the paper will examine the situation in the Baltic States.